Article of furniture having a support member with an adjustable contour

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture includes a support having a support surface. A plurality of air bladders are mounted relative to the support surface, each air bladder having expandable foam therein. At least one fluid line fluidly couples the air bladders together. A single valve is fluidly coupled with the at least one fluid line.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an article of furniture, and,more particularly, to an article of furniture capable of being sat uponand/or reclined in by a user.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Articles of furniture such as seats, chairs, recliners, couchesand sofas are available for sitting upon and/or reclining in. Certain ofthese articles have at least one support surface that is provided withan extra mechanical support mechanism, commonly in the seat back for thelumbar region of the back of a user. Such an extra support mechanismtypically is mechanically biased. Sometimes, a lever is provided formoving and thereby adjusting the position of the mechanical supportmechanism to maximize the comfort of the user. That lever may require asignificant effort to reach and adjust, especially with respect to a carseat.

[0005] What is needed in the art is an extra support mechanismassociated with a support surface of an article of furniture thatpermits the extra support mechanism to be positioned and contoured forthe comfort of a particular user and then easily held in that particularcontour.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention provides an air-regulated, cushioned unitfor a support of an article furniture which has multiple air bladdersassociated therewith, the air bladders being readily positioned andcontoured for the comfort of a particular user and then easily held inthat particular contour.

[0007] The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an article offurniture including a support having a support surface. A plurality ofair bladders are mounted relative to the support surface, each airbladder having expandable foam therein. At least one fluid line fluidlycouples the air bladders together. A single valve is fluidly coupledwith the at least one fluid line.

[0008] An advantage of the present invention is the air bladder systemof the present invention, by using hydrodynamics, permits an article offurniture to be contoured for the comfort of a particular user and theneasily held in that particular contour even after that particular uservacates that article of furniture.

[0009] Another advantage is that the contour can be held in place oradjusted by working a single valve.

[0010] An additional advantage is that the foam in each air bladder isnaturally biased toward its full size, and, consequently, the airbladders will automatically tend to expand to their full size uponopening of the system valve, thus requiring no pump to expand anybladder.

[0011] Yet another advantage is the air bladder system may either bemade a permanent or a temporary part of a given article of furniture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of thisinvention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparentand the invention will be better understood by reference to thefollowing description of an embodiment of the invention taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, which is a partial cut-awayview of an article of furniture of the present embodiment. Theexemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment ofthe invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to beconstrued as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Referring now to the drawing, there is shown an article offurniture 10 which generally includes a support 12, a plurality of airbladders 14, at least one fluid line 16 (shown in phantom) and a singlevalve 18.

[0014] Article of furniture 10 in the present embodiment is a chair witha seat 20 and a seat back 22. In the present embodiment, seat back 22 issupport 12. Support 12 has a support surface 24 with a plurality of airbladders 14, at least one fluid line 16 (shown in phantom) and a singlevalve 18 mounted thereon. Support surface 24 has at least one pocket 25mounted thereon which, as to be explained in greater detail later,allows air bladders 14 to be mounted to support surface 24 whilepermitting access thereto.

[0015] Air bladders 14 are mounted relative to support surface 24, eachair bladder 14 having expandable foam 26 (shown in a partial cut-away inone of air bladders 14) therein. Expandable foam 26 has an expandedstate 28 (as shown) and a compressed state (not shown). Expandable foam26, having an open cell structure, is characteristically biased towardexpanded state 28, unless held in the compressed state by an outsideforce. The presence of expandable foam 26 within each air bladder 14permits each air bladder to assume and be held in a particular inflationstate (i.e., that created by someone sitting in article of furniture 10)upon compression of each air bladder 14.

[0016] Air bladders 14 are held in place on support surface 24, at leastin part, by a flexible support member 30. Flexible support member 30, inthe present embodiment, is mounted to support surface 24 permanently, asby welds 32 or some other type of metallurgical or adhesive joints. Atleast one lower segment 31 of flexible support member 30 is removablyinserted via a slip fit into one of at least one pocket 25, to help holdair bladders 14 in place yet allow easy access thereto. Further, airbladders 14 and flexible support member 30, when mounted on seat back22, together are configured for providing lumbar support.

[0017] Air bladders 14 are fluidly connected to each other by fluidlines 16. Fluid lines 16 are mounted so as to be positioned betweenflexible support member 30 and support surface 24. Such positioningserves to protect fluid lines 16 and to keep them from view, even if nofurther cushioning is provided with respect to support surface 24.

[0018] Fluid lines 16 are connected in parallel via line connector 34.Fluid lines 16 may be made of, for example, rubber, plastic, polyvinylchloride (PVC), or metal.

[0019] One of fluid lines 16 is connected to single valve 18. Singlevalve 18 is preferably mounted at a perimeter location 36 of support 12to make it readily accessible and locatable for a person sitting inarticle of furniture 10. Single valve 18 is configured to be selectivelyclosed to prevent air from flowing into air bladders 14 and therebyprevent further biasing of expandable foam 26 toward expanded state 28thereof. Conversely, single valve 18 can be opened to permit airflowthereinto and thus allow expandable foam 26 to return to expanded state28. Single valve 18 may be, for example, a spring-loaded pull valve or aturn valve.

[0020] Air bladder system 38, which includes air bladders 14, fluidlines 16, single valve 18 and flexible support member 30, of a support12 can be adjusted. Single valve 18 is opened to permit travel of airtherethrough. Depending on how a person chooses to sit in article offurniture 10, at least one air bladder 14 and expandable foam 26associated therewith is compressed, thereby forcing at least a portionof the air from expandable foam 26. That portion of the air escapes intoat least one fluid line 16 and out through open single valve 18. Singlevalve 18 is closed to prevent ingress of air into expandable foam 26 ofat least one compressed air bladder 14, thereby retaining at least onecompressed air bladder 14 in an at least partially compressed state. Theadjustment may include a further step of opening single valve 18 toallow the ingress of air into expandable foam 26, thereby permittingexpandable foam 26 to fill with air and expand.

[0021] Various alternate embodiments are considered to fall within thescope of the present invention. For example, article of furniture 10 mayalso have arm rests (not shown) and need not necessarily have legs andmay or may not be cushioned, depending on its intended use. Further,instead of being a chair as set forth in the illustrated embodiment, thearticle of furniture may be, for example (not shown), a recliner,rocker, couch, sofa, ottoman, stool, desk, keyboard support or wrist padfor use with a keyboard support. In certain instances, seat 20 and/orthe arm rests could, alternatively or additionally to seat back 22, alsoact as supports in the manner defined in the present embodiment.Further, the support may be designed to support any of various bodyparts including, for example, arms, legs, back, head or parts thereofsuch as wrists or feet. In a further alternative, air bladders 14 couldbe connected in series (not shown) using a single fluid line 16therebetween, with one of air bladders 14 connected via another fluidline 16 to single valve 18. Additionally, flexible support member 30 maybe mounted temporarily (i.e., mechanically; not shown) to supportsurface 24.

[0022] While this invention has been described as having a preferreddesign, the present invention can be further modified within the spiritand scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended tocover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using itsgeneral principles. Further, this application is intended to cover suchdepartures from the present disclosure as come within known or customarypractice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fallwithin the limits of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An article of furniture, comprising: a supporthaving a support surface; a plurality of air bladders mounted relativeto said support surface, each said air bladder having expandable foamtherein; at least one fluid line fluidly coupling said air bladderstogether; and a single valve fluidly coupled with said at least onefluid line.
 2. The article of claim 1, wherein said at least one fluidline is coupled to said air bladders in one of parallel and series. 3.The article of claim 2, wherein said at least one fluid line is coupledto said air bladders in parallel.
 4. The article of claim 1, whereinsaid expandable foam has an expanded state, said expandable foam beingcharacteristically biased toward said expanded state.
 5. The article ofclaim 4, wherein said single valve is configured to be selectivelyclosed to prevent air from flowing into said air bladders and therebyprevent further biasing of said expandable foam toward said expandedstate thereof.
 6. The article of claim 1, wherein said support comprisesa seat back, said seat back having a flexible support member attachedthereto, said at least one fluid line and said air bladders beingmounted between said support surface and said flexible support member.7. The article of claim 6, wherein said air bladders and said flexiblesupport member are configured for conjunctively providing lumbar supporton said seat back.
 8. The article of claim 1, wherein said air bladdersare configured to be selectively contoured.
 9. The article of claim 1,wherein said article of furniture is one of a chair, recliner, rocker,couch, sofa, ottoman, stool, desk, keyboard support and wrist pad foruse with a keyboard support.
 10. An air bladder system for use with asupport of an article of furniture, comprising: a plurality of airbladders configured for mounting in association with the support, eachsaid air bladder having expandable foam therein; at least one fluid linefluidly coupling said air bladders together; and a single valve fluidlycoupled with said at least one fluid line.
 11. The air bladder system ofclaim 10, wherein said at least one fluid line is coupled to said airbladders in one of parallel and series.
 12. The air bladder system ofclaim 11, wherein said at least one fluid line is coupled to said airbladders in parallel.
 13. The air bladder system of claim 10, whereinsaid expandable foam has an expanded state, said expandable foam beingcharacteristically biased toward said expanded state.
 14. The airbladder system of claim 13, wherein said single valve is configured tobe selectively closed to prevent air from flowing into said air bladdersand thereby prevent further biasing of said expandable foam toward saidexpanded state thereof.
 15. The air bladder system of claim 10, whereinsaid air bladder system is configured to be attached one of temporarilyand permanently to the support.
 16. The air bladder system of claim 15,wherein said air bladder system is configured to be attached permanentlyto the support.
 17. A method of adjusting an air bladder systemassociated with a support of an article of furniture, said methodcomprising the steps of: providing an air bladder system in associationwith said support, said air bladder system including: a plurality of airbladders mounted with respect to the support, each said air bladderhaving expandable foam therein, said expandable foam having air therein;at least one fluid line fluidly coupling said air bladders together; anda single valve fluidly coupled with said at least one fluid line;opening said single valve; compressing at least one said air bladder andsaid expandable foam associated therewith, thereby forcing at least aportion of the air from said expandable foam, said portion of the airescaping into said at least one fluid line and out through said opensingle valve; and closing said single valve to prevent ingress of airinto said expandable foam of said at least one compressed air bladder.18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of opening saidsingle valve to allow the ingress of air into said expandable foam ofsaid at least one compressed air bladder, thereby permitting saidexpandable foam to fill with air and expand.